Bahrain's fall, disaster for US
BAHRAIN: A former Lebanese Minister Essam Naaman says that the
Bahraini regime's fall will be tantamount to 'disaster' for the United
States.
The oil-rich Bahrain is home to US' Navy's Fifth Fleet. Also because
of its strategic location in the Persian Gulf, it is very important for
the US strategy in the area, Naaman stated.
If the Bahraini regime falls, he said, it will be a disaster to the
American policy in the Middle East and its long-term strategy, Naaman
told Press TV on Thursday.
The Fifth Fleet is a shield for American forces against many
countries, especially Iran, he said. The Fleet is here to spy on Iran
and control the Strait of Hormoz." So these are failures for the
American policy in the region, Naaman said.
Naaman said that there are long-time grievances in the country. Now
after the pre-dawn attacks on peaceful pro-democracy protesters on
Thursday, many of the parliamentarians have resigned in a show of
protest against the violent crackdown.
After the violent crackdown against demonstrators, eighteen members
of Bahrain's parliament resigned from their posts on Thursday in a show
of protest. The lawmakers announced that they have suspended their
membership in parliament over the killings of Shia demonstrators, Press
TV cited an unnamed opposition parliamentarian as saying.
The magnitude of the pro-democracy protests in Bahrain is
unprecedented in the history of the Persian Gulf kingdom and the
authorities' efforts to quell them have so far been ineffective.
The demonstrators are demanding a new constitution that would move
the country toward democracy and limit the king's powers. Press TV |